Sweden Starts Awarding B2B Gaming License to Software Providers

Spelinspektionen, Sweden’s Gambling Inspectorate, has used its recently launched regulation to award gaming supplier licenses to three game development studios – Programutvecklarna i Norrköping AB, Skill On Net, and Synot Games. These B2B companies will be the first licensed gaming providers in Sweden, with the licenses coming into force on 1 July 2023 to remain valid over a five-year period.

B2B software license launch:

The source reports that the regulator accepts license applications from other gaming suppliers as of March 1 and informs that the Swedish gaming authority has already received around 60 applications from studios across the jurisdiction. These applications are currently being processed by the Spelinspektionen.

The source also reports that the Swedish legislature has taken the B2B licensing scheme into consideration last year. Competent governmental authorities started consultations over B2B licenses already in May 2022 and informed software suppliers and game developers about the forthcoming adoption of new requirements under the Gambling Act.

License addition to the Gambling Act:

Riksdag, the Swedish Parliament, introduced license requirements for B2B gaming software in November. After the introduction, the Ministry of Finance, or Finansdepartementet, became responsible to oversee these final reforms adding the B2B software license as a new requirement of the Gambling Act. A bit earlier, Spelinspektionen announced that it expected to launch its B2B supplier licensing system in March 2023 to roll out the process.

Discouraging illegal gambling:

The licensing scheme started as promised and awarded gaming permits to the above three studios, with an increasing number of Swedish B2B providers applying for the license. Spelinspektionen explained: “The purpose of introducing the requirement is to increase channeling and thereby discourage illegal gambling. Unlicensed game operators must not be able to use suppliers who manufacture, provide, install, and/or change game software for game operators who have a license in Sweden.”

The regulator announced March and July 2023 as the milestones for the new B2B gaming license scheme, with an aim to eliminate unregulated operators from the jurisdiction and enable safe and responsible gaming practices, which are highly valued by the Swedish authorities imposing strict compliance requirements in this regard.

License fees:

Therefore, the inspectorate is responsible to monitor the gaming market and report any irregularities or problem gambling, as well as prevent the revenue drain to unregulated gaming operators, software suppliers, and game developers. The state authorities suggested that a B2B license incurs the cost of SEK 120,000 (€11,000/£9,600), as well as increased renewal fees from SEK 300,000 to SEK 600,000 (€55,300/£48,100) to ensure an exclusive market presence of regulated and licensed B2B software providers and development studios.